Happy #3 Ava!

Oh, my beautiful Ava! You are truly a girl, loving everything princess and pink but also the freedom of having your hair hanging in your eyes and your clothes a little less than put together. You're as tough as the boys and happy to wrestle and fight but playing dress up is your favorite. You go through at least 4 outfits a day though none lasts very long as you simply prefer to wear nothing but your underwear. You are as sweet as an angel but at the same time feisty and stubborn. Sometimes I wonder what lies in store when you decide to go head to head with me (we already know who will win if you pick a fight with your dad) :). You are one of my favorite conversationalists as your grasp on the English language is rivaled by few at your age. You use wonderful words like fantastic and awesome when describing something you find especially pleasing. You love to sing and to quote all your favorite movies like "Finding Nemo" and "Cinderella" or as you say..."Cindabrella". When you want to be nice and sweet, you are the best at making those around you feel wonderful about themselves, especially your dad and your brother. You are a great little mother taking care of your "baby Andrew" (a doll) as well as your baby brother. You have a great appetite and are willing (most of the time) to try just about anything. Salad is something you rather enjoy which we are constantly surprised about. Of course, as with many at this age, you are a great mimic, always repeating what everyone around you says...especially Ethan (this really makes him crazy which somehow I think is your ultimate goal)! You refuse to sleep with anything other than your favorite blanket knitted with love by your wonderful grandmother. Ava, you are smart. You learn so much from your brother. Your ABC's, days of the week, months of the year, even how to spell certain color words like yellow (all of these through song). I guess it will really pay off that you love to sing. You are a joy and a wonder and we are so grateful to have you here as a part of our family! Happy Birthday my little princess!

Andrew is 5 Months Old!

Oh what a cute baby...if I don't say so myself! I am so smitten with this darling little boy! A few noteworthy things have happened this month:

-He finally started sleeping through the night...not quite all the time, but we are close. We are talking sleep from 8:30pm until 6:30am! And his nap schedule is starting to come together. Honestly, I never thought we'd get there.

-Andrew tried his first solid food, rice cereal. We have discovered that he hates formula (maybe that's why he won't take a bottle) as he won't eat the rice cereal if it is mixed with formula but has no problem with the water version. He isn't eating solids regularly yet as I feel like it's too early and well, I'm really just too lazy!

-He is really getting around these days though not crawling perfectly in the traditional sense. He regularly uses the "commando", "forward thrust" and "steamroller". I find him daily pulling ornaments off the Christmas tree and trying to unwrap presents. It's getting harder and harder to keep him away!

-He really has the best and biggest smile and loves his mom best of all! ---yes, I LOVE that!

-His brother and sister love him to death and especially love to pick him up and carry him around... sometimes this causes a bit of heart failure for me.

-We got Andrew a "Bumbo" chair and he promptly forced his way out of it throwing himself onto the table. Oh well. I really thought he'd like hanging out sitting up. I guess the necessity of moving got to him.

-He also received his first haircut. Ok - it wasn't much of one but by the time I was done trimming the mullet and cutting the 10 long hairs he still had on top of his head, he looked as though he had been given a buzz. I guess I didn't even realize that he'd lost all his newborn baby hair until I saw that he had a whole crop of new and none of it was long. At least he never went bald!

-Andrew can sit up by himself, unassisted, for a few seconds...probably 20 at the most. Then he usually takes a tumble right on his face.

Andrew, you really are growing up too fast and I will truly miss the time cuddling and kissing you through your laughter and giggles. I will miss the way you talk, the small high pitch, song-like squeal, and your gigantic smiles for everyone (hopefully these never go away). Happy 5 months!

Gratitude #4 - A Good Night's Sleep!

What more can I say?? It's been about 6 months since I was able to sleep soundly through the night without interruption. Last night was magic! Sure, I didn't go to bed terribly early but Andrew was asleep at 9. He did not wake up until 6am! Oh happy day!! I was even able to get on the treadmill, shower, and be completely ready before walking Ethan to school. Wow! It may be all I accomplish... but today I am deeply grateful for good sleep.

Gratitude #3 - Good Health

Yesterday when I got out of bed, I was thinking how nice it is to live relatively pain-free. I guess I occasionally have a headache and maybe my knees might feel it a bit after running too hard but really, everything just works all of the time. It's something I take for granted. Health is something you just don't think much about until it has changed or until it is gone. Really, aside from having the blessing of family and friends, it is probably the #2 greatest gift. Lately the news of good friends with some life altering health issues got me thinking about my life and whether I'm doing all I can to preserve my health. There is much more I could do but in reality, no matter how diligent you are, good health is a blessing. It can and does absolutely change no matter who you are or what you do. So today, I feel a deep and abiding gratitude for the the blessing of having a wonderful and strong body and for the health and strength needed to accomplish my mission here on earth...whatever it may be.

Gratitude #2 - Problem Solvers

Today I am grateful for a husband that not only listens to what goes on in my day, but responds by trying to solve the problems I encounter. As an example, today I was unusually frustrated and couldn't seem to find anything... or just two things I needed at the time. I am not one to misplace things very often (at least prior to 3 children) and it was really making me crazy looking for them. I am also not one who enjoys receiving help and so, never asks for it. Todd came home and quietly went about searching for the seemingly unfindable. Of course, he found one (so far) in a place it should have been found easily (ouch! this will be just another reason to mock me for being so absent minded!) and I'm sure he'll come across the other, probably before I can even get back to looking. It's hard for me to accept the help but in reality, I am truly grateful. Problems do get solved much faster when you have a second person on the job.

Gratitude #1 - TIME

I have been wanting to begin writing about something more than just what my kids do on a daily basis...maybe write something that PROVES I am MORE than JUST their mom and that I have an identity aside from that motherly existence. As it stands, I am having a hard time coming up with anything. So sad, but I think maybe I need to prove this to myself! What were my ambitions prior to being a mom...my dreams? Did I have any?

On another note, I have been thinking a lot about GRATITUDE lately and would like to work on being more gratious. One way is to be able to recognize the things you are grateful for on a more constant basis. I mean really, there are so many things I could so easily feel gratitude for...where to begin? As a way to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak) I am going to try writing something I am grateful for each day through Christmas... ok.... let's say, at least a few time a week (I can't commit to a daily blog!). Here's my first entry!

Today I am grateful for TIME. I know some days feel as though they fly by in the blink of an eye and then there are some that drag on, each moment focused on enduring until the next. Today was neither. I have realized with my recent addition in responsibility, that TIME is typically my enemy. There are never enough hours in a day to do all that needs to be done. I am a completely task driven person who seems to rely on her ability to accomplish as a means of self esteem. This works well when you are only in charge of you but when faced with the challenge of raising children and the monotony of being at home... I rarely feel the satisfaction of a job well done... and a job, well, a job completed. I love to make task lists but those lists tend to look the same from day to day.... partially because I have yet to complete the task and partially because once completed, it needs to be done yet again. Well, today started earlier than usual (could this be a clue... getting up early could help???) and I was able to fit in much more than my typical day. This does not mean I have much to show for the hours spent, but I feel better than on other typical days. I am GRATEFUL for the TIME I spent today READING with Ava and Andrew, HELPING Ethan with his homework, and cooking a really tasty Chicken Pesto Pannini in my George Foreman grill for dinner. I do not feel as though I accomplished much, and yet, strangely satisfied with the way my day was spent. Funny how if you prioritize your day working first on the things that really matter but can't be completed, you find a strange sense of satisfaction you can't get from a checked off list.

While I'm thinking about it....

There are so many strange word pronunciations that Ethan uses or has used in his short life. I am always forgetting to document them...so here are a few:
"Vacuum" = gacuum
"Yogurt" = milgret
"Bedroom" = bejroom (this one became very obvious when he tried to use it in a paper written at school. He spelled it exactly as it sounded to him (bejrom) and then I knew I needed to help him pronounce things a bit more accurately)
"Feathers" = feders (or fedrs as he spelled it)
Really, almost anthing with the "th" sound
"Transformers, more than meets the eye"= transformers, more than zens the skies (...what?)
"Crayons" = crowns
The best part is he rarely believes us when we tell him he is saying it wrong. I guess I'll just have to wait until his teacher backs me - what she says goes:)